The present invention relates to a fastening device, and more particularly to a fastening device for securing together flexible sheeting material of a patient support system and a method employing same.
Specialty patient support systems, such as low air loss beds, air fluidized beds, and hybrid low air loss/air fluidized beds, have provided a significant advancement in patient care. One example of such a bed is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,635 assigned to SSI Medical Services, Inc. Generally, these beds contain various pressurizable chambers, such as individual air sacs and/or a fluidized medium chamber. The air sacs, cover sheets, chambers, etc. defining the support surface are generally formed of flexible sheeting material as is commonly understood in the art. The sheeting material may be air permeable or contain apertures defined therein in a low air loss configuration for the support system. Various conventional means have been utilized to secure the sheeting materials together to define the patient support system. For example, one such fastening device is disclosed in FIG. 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,635 wherein a fastening device consisting of male and female locking members is disclosed. The male and female members are secured generally to the edges of sheeting material desired to be secured together. For example, the fastening device may be provided to join a cover sheet for a fluidized chamber and an attachment flap extending from an inflatable sac retaining wall, as disclosed in the '635 patent.
However, the conventional fastening devices occasionally separate under certain conditions. If this occurs, the bed must generally be shut down and the patient transferred to another support system. The microspheres may spill out of the bed and into the immediate environment. Additionally, applicants have noted that the conventional fastening devices tend to interfere with the patient's comfort due to their relative disposition on the patient support surface of the system. Moreover, in order to provide additional assurance against separation of conventional fastening devices, fastening devices are configured to provide such powerful locking forces that persons may encounter difficulty in joining and/or separating the fastening devices whenever such manipulation is warranted by the circumstances. Thus, applicants have recognized the desirability of a fastening device that was easily manipulated to join together or separate yet would remain joined more reliably when in service, as well as a fastening device that could be disposed in service in a manner that would not interfere with patient comfort.